Milking-machine.



L. L. L R. M. MILLS.

MILKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILBD'SEPT. 1a, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

NVEN TORJ Il "l T N ESSE S y MCH/IRD M /V/L s.

M MW,

A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST L. MILLS, OF WATERTOWN, AND RICHARD M. MILLS, OF CICERO, NEWYORK.

MILKING-MACHINE.

specictio of Letters Patent. Patented MaI- 23, 1915,

Application filed September 18, 1914. Serial No. 862,316.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ERNEST L. MILLS andRICHARD M. MILLS, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively,at Vatertown, Jefferson county, and at Cicero, in the county ofOnondaga, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful-lImprovements' in Milking-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to milking machines, and the invention relatesparticularly to improvements in the milk-receiving parts which aredisposed between the vacuum f` pumpl and the milk-pail.

The object of the invention is to provide a milk receptacle for milkingmachines,y

which is novel, simple, effective and` sanitary, and which may beoperated without the loss 0f the vacuum by which the milking is done.

A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of the milk inlet andvacuum tubes, which entirely prevents any portion of the milk from beingdrawn into the vacuumv pump.

A further object is to provide a novel outlet valve which is controlledby a counterweight and which is constructed with .the view to renderingthe same automatic, quickacting and positive. And a further object is togenerally simplify and improve milking appliances of the class.

we attain these ob]ects by the means described in the annexedspecification, illustrated by the accompanying drawing, and thenparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the milk, receivingdevice assembled ready for use. Fig. A2 is a central vertical section,taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; showing the construction, arrangement andoperation of the device. Fig. 3 is a top-plan view. Fig. 4 is abottom-plan View. Fig. 5 is a detail section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig.4. Fig. 6 is a view showing a modification of the outlet valve.

The present invention relates to the chambered receptacle, into whichthe milk is drawn by vacuum and then automatically discharged by gravityfrom the said receptacle into a suitable milk-pail. The other parts ofthe milking `machine are so well known and understood that it is notdeemed necessary to illustrate or describe the same.

In the drawing, ily-represents a cylindrical body, the interior 3 ofwhich comprises the milk chamber. Near its upper-end, the said body isprovided with an annular flange 4,

and above the said fiange the cylinder is threaded, as at 5.

6w represents a hollow cap which surmounts the cylinder 2, the bottom ofsaid cap being internally threaded for attachment to the threadedportion 5 of the cylinder 2, and 7 represents an annular flange.-

similarto the flange 4. The flanges 4 and 7" are intended to grip thetop, as 8, of a milkpail (not shown) for supporting the milk chamber.

The inlet for the milk comprises a tube 9 which preferably pierces thecenter of the top of the cap 6 and is disposed substantially axially.This tube may be integral with the cap, as shown, or it may be aseparate part suitably secured to the cap. The tube 9 preferablyprojects downwardly a considerable distance into the top portion of thecylinder 2, so as to discharge the milk at a suitable distance from thetop of the cap. The upper end of the tube 9 may connect in any suitablemanner with the teatcups (not shown).

10 represents the air or vacuum tube which just pierces the top of thecap and then extends upwardly therefrom. The tube 10 may also beintegral with the cap, as shown, if desired. The tube 10 may -connect inany suitable manner with a vacuum pump (not shown). The lower end oftube 10 of the present device preferably terminates at the underside ofthe cap" interfering with the working of said pump..-

Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 illustrate the preferred form of the invention, .inwhich the lower end of the body 2 is contracted, as at 11, the area ofthe bottoni 11 being-preferably onehalf that of the area of the body 2above the said contraction. The outlet valve consists of a disk 12,which is preferably concaveconvex, and arranged with its `convex surfacefacing upwardly so as to allow the milk valve 12, the said valvemay bereadily ground to a perfect seating, so as to prevent leakage of the airor liquid. The valve 12 is pivotally supported, so as to freely revolvei'oi'rendering the same self-seating, .by a lever 14, the said leverhaving a perforation 15 to receive a ball-like boss livliich'iay beintegral with the bottom of the disk 12.

These parts are held in operative position by a Washer 17 and a screw 18, the latter piercing the washer and being threaded into the ball 16.The joint betweenlthe lever 14 and the ball 16 and Washer 17 is loose,as shown in Figs. 2v'a'nd 5, which allows the valve 12 to floatfandadjust itself toitsseat y13 without danger of binding or canting.Th`lever 14 is pivoted by a pin 19,v between lugs 20, carried by theneck l1 of the body 2, and the said lever has an extension 21 Which actsas a counter-Weight for normally holding the clapper valve 12 in itsseat. .The counter-weight portion 21is preferably chambered, as at 22,the said chamber being closed by a screw 23, and in order to increase ordecrease the counter-weight, shot or other'small parts, as 24,'may beinserted inthe chamber 22. The-full and dotted lines in Fig. 2 show theclosed and open position of the outlet valve 12. Valve 12 is normallyheld in the closed position by the counter-weight 21, andv also by `thefor'ce of the vacuuin` while the milk is beingdrawn from theAcows.udder, and as soon as the vacuum is broken the Weight of the milkin the chamber 3 forces the valve 12 open, and allows the milk togravitate into the pail. By the provision of the counter-weighted lever14, the valve 12 is positively closed after each discharge of the milk',and under this construction and arrangement, if At-he pail or othersupport happens to be tilted one way or the other. to a considerableangle, it does nt prevent the counter-'weight from closing the valve 12.Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of the'device, which consistsprincipally in -provid-v ing a plain cylindrical vbod'y 2", and a lever26 which is pivoted by a pin 27 to lugs 28 disposed on the outer Wall,of the cylinder 2f. The outer end of lever 26 is threaded, and thecounter-weight consists of a nut 29 by which the Weight is increasedor-decreased. By making the body 2 the same `diameter throughout thevalve 12 is larger i thanthe part 12 and the milk has a freer outlet.When properly constructed and ground both of the valves 12 and 12 wille'ffectually Aseal the outlet ends of the cylin- -ed to be. nor

ders and there is no danger of .any loss the vacuum during the operationof'thefinait is also easier tokeep in fperfect fitting` Y condition,than if the s'aid parts were larger.

Our invention isextremely. simple and' 'lf practical. The peculiardisposition and ar-f rangement of the tubes 9 and 10, `for,pr`e' ventingthe milk from being drawninto the.. punip,.together with thecontracted-bottoni which is closed by the relatively small floatingcounter-Weighted outlet valvev 1 2, are

the essentially novel. and material features of our invention.

It isobvious that somechangesor modifications may be made in the partsof'the 5 device within the-scope deinedby appended claims, withoutdeparting from the spiritof our invention.

Having thus described our inventionwhat we claim as'ne'w and desire-Letters Patent, ish

to secure by 1'-, In a milking machine, a .cylindrical-v milk chamber,.an air exhaust tube entering one end of said chamber, an inlet tubeentering said chamber substantiallyaxiallyiandv parallel to the airexhaust tube, adapted todischarge the milk intoy said chamber below thes aid air exhaust tube, and a counter.

y. weighted valve in the opposite end'ofsaidchamber forv controllingvthe discharge of--the milkfroin thesaid chamber.

A milking machina-includ' Mink'v chamber, a screw cap "for-closing t eupper f end ofsaid chamber, amilk tubezpiercii'ig` said cap`andextending 'downwardly into i the said chamber, a. vacuum tubecommunicating with the interior of said cap, its lower end terminatingat the top of said cap,'and v.an outlet valve controlled by acounterweight for normally closing the bottom of said chamber, said`valve yadapted to be `opened by the. Weight of the .milk in the saidchamber Whenever the vacuum is destroyed. -3. A milking machine,including a hollow body\ having an externally threaded open top andcontracted bottom rovided with the valve seat, a Screw-cap or closingthe top of said ,bod a milktube passing through the top of?, said capandprojecting downwardly into said body, a, vacuum-tube piercingthe topof said cap but terminat ing at the inner si-de of said top, acounterweighted lever hinged to lugs carried 'by valve loosely supportedby said lever adaptcounter-weig as wellas by the force .of the llyheldin said seatby the Vlli() its vacuum, said valve adapted to be swungopen 'by the weight of V.the milkwhenever the vacuum'A is destroyed;

below the lower 4. In a milking machine, a milk chamber having its upperlend closed, an air tube piercing the upper end of the chamber, thelower end of said tube bein flush with the inner top side'of said chamer, a milk inlet tube also piercing the uplper end of said chamber andextending ownwardly into said chamber, so as to discharge the milk endofsaid air tube, said milk tube disposed parallel to said air tube,

a valve for closing the'lower end of said chamber, said valve engaging'aseat formed in said lower end, and a counterweighted lever for normallyholding said valve in its seat when the chamber is empty.-

5. A milking machine, including a chambered milk receptacle comprising acylindrical body open at each end, its upper end threaded, its lower endbeing contracted and having a `valve seat within the contractedAportion, a cap screwed on to the upper end 0091er o! this patent may beobtained for .of said body, `'said cap and then extending downwardlyinto he centi each, by

Washington, D. C.

a milk tubepiercing the top of is destroyed.

In testimony' whereof we aiX our signatures in presence of twowitnessesx ERNEST L. MILLS.` RICHARD M. MILLS. Witnesses:

HARRY DE WALLACE, y FRANCIS T. DELANEY.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

